Hilariously, in the first instalment of this feature, we forgot to mention the original Xbox launch line-up. Let's do that now: Halo + Project Gotham Racing + many turds.

You might know we don't much like Halo, though completely accept that it had its moments, and that its influence extends far and wide.

Plus, it at least has the distinction of being a first-party game that came to define the brand, in the Mario style; something sorely lacking on the PS2, Gamecube and Dreamcast.

Also, Project Gotham Racing was sort of good. As was Dead or Alive 3. But still... it's too late now to include it. That ship has sailed. Oh well. It still wouldn't have beaten the Gamecube line-up, which had the bonus of being more distinct, and its games not being drowned out by the sound of the Xbox's constantly thrumming cooling system.

Look at those lists. We're thick into the era where it as all about quantity over quality. Running scared of criticisms about earlier launch day schedules being light on games, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo went literally mental. Unfortunately, all that dross makes it harder to see the gems.

Would Bilbo have been so keen to steal Smaug's gold if it was buried beneath a ton of dragon waste, asks the nerd?

The notable exclusives on the 360 were Perfect Dark Zero, King Kong and Project Gotham 3. Perfect Dark was a terrible, empty, sequel to a mostly excellent game, King Kong was curiously atmospheric, but has aged badly. And Project Gotham 3? Meh. Brrm-brrms.

Hats off to the PlayStation 3 for securing Call of Duty 3 as a launch title. Beyond that, Sony coughed out Resistance: Fall of Man, a game so tepid and dull it's a miracle we can even type its name without falling asleep.

​The Wii's line-up was even less exciting - a weird mix of licensed family games, and ports from elsewhere. However... the console came with Wii Sports as a pack-in; unquestionably, one of the best games of all time - if you consider its pan-generational appeal. For that reason alone, we have little choice but to give it to Nintendo. Again. Sorry, but it is what it is.

And you thought the previous generation was overloaded... What the hell was going on with Nintendo this time around? It's like they lost their minds completely. Regrettably, nothing Nintendo released on launch day had the same impact of some of its earlier day one exclusives.

New Super Mario Bros. U was fine, but no Super Mario World. While Nintendoland remains to this day one of the more baffling efforts in Nintendo's canon - a practical demonstration of why nobody ever needed the Wii U gamepad. However, UbiSoft's ZombiU remains woefully underrated - one of the most atmospheric (and challenging) games ever. Who'd have thought there'd be an original way to do a zombie game? Those guys did.

​The PS4's line-up is pretty forgettable. Killzone Shadow Fall is more or less the sole big-budget system exclusive. And it's the very definition of mediocre, as pretty as it was. Tellingly, our homogenised era of almost identikit consoles means that you've got more or less all the same games on the Xbox One - simply swap Killzone for the equally lacklustre Ryse: Son of Rome.

The question remains: who to award this one to? We don't want to give it to Nintendo - again - not least because the Wii U line-up was possibly their weakest console launch to date. Much as we'd like to punish them for putting out far too many games, there's so little to get excited about on the PS4 and Xbox One, that we don't feel we have a choice. At least ZombiU and New Super Mario Bros. U were worth playing.

Ah man. You'd think this one would be easy. Obviously, you can chuck the Game Gear in the bin. But this isn't quite as simple as just giving it to the Game Boy, because of Tetris and Super Mario Land. Those Lynx games - as well as being full colour - were actually all pretty good. And 3D!

However, hindsight and history is what's going to decide this one: which of the above games have endured as all-time classics? Alas, only two of them. Tetris. Super Mario Land. Nintendo's done it again, for pity's sake.

WINNER: Game Boy.

INTERESTING CONCLUSIONWhat's notable when you look at the history of console launch day line-ups is how much worse they've become. Quantity over quality rules these days; a glut of third-party games are typically rushed out, before any developer has really gotten to grips with what the system can do.

It's kind of depressing, when you think back to those early Nintendo classics like Super Mario World and F-Zero; we'd much rather have a handful of great games, than a basketful of below-average ones and lazy ports. Please... release your consoles when the games are ready to exploit the capabilities; not just when the hardware is ready to go.

It's also significant that Nintendo has won every category, given that - for some years now - they've not been market leaders. Graphics rule, as far as sales go, nowadays. Shooting, edginess, gore... Nintendo may be the best there is at the sorts of pure gaming experiences, but there are definite signs that it's losing its touch with what people want.

We hope that when it releases the NX - or whatever its next system ends up being called - they at least manage to punch through with the sort of hardware-selling classics that defined the Super NES, N64 and Wii.

It's sad that even as a fully fledged grown-up that doesn't even own a wii U, that the nintendo fanboy inside was really pleased that they won each round.

but i agree about the quantity over quality...i was shocked to see so many games listed for this last gen. so few games were of any interest at the time that I'd have been less surprised if you'd said that all 3 launched without any games.

Reply

Scott C

21/4/2016 10:10:28 pm

Are you Derren Brown? You read my mind.

Reply

Waynan The Barbarian

21/4/2016 09:59:11 am

I think where Nintendo have fallen back on in the last couple of years is more mature titles. They make some truly great, incredibly fun and playable games but a lot of the market in this industry are people like myself in their 30's and the allure of brightly coloured, dare i say it, KIDDIE games just don't really appeal anymore.

I'm one of the few who actually own a Wii U and it's sitting there gathering dust because it just doesn't have the games that my Xbox One does.

But that being said, you can't beat a game of Mario Kart 8 or Mario 3D World.

MEOWWWW!

Reply

BitBat

21/4/2016 10:31:40 am

I actually really appreciate their lack of cynicism and ‘edginess’, I think it is quite rare these days. Even the most colourful and cartoony looking games are usually accompanied by bright red blood splatter nowadays, Nintendo channels a sort childhood innocence and fun that is sorely missed in my mind. This is also a matter of taste so each to their own of course.

Reply

Waynan The Barbarian

21/4/2016 10:52:33 am

I can agree with you to a certain degree there as you can only play so many first person shooters before you need a change and that's primarily what my Wii U is there for. It's refreshing to play something like New Super Mario Bros U after 4 months of continuous Fallout 4.

But i find that it just doesn't hold my attention like some of the more mature, story-driven games available on the Xbox.

Oh I don't know. I'm in my 30's and I'd much prefer a bright and cheery Nintendo game to yet another grey and brown murkfest starring a generic grumbly man who shoots foreigners in between cut scenes.

Reply

Dangerous Dave

21/4/2016 10:48:37 am

Console launches have become dire, but for the first time in nearly two decades I opted for a Wii U at launch. Believe it or not, but I don't regret it. The console hasn't exactly been flooded with software, but there's been plenty of gems. It still gets more use than my PS4 does.

It wasn't as good as the Mega Drive version, but you're right, it was still very good. Better than Super Mario Land, anyway.

Reply

Mrtankthreat

21/4/2016 07:28:33 pm

"Wii Sports as a pack-in; unquestionably, one of the best games of all time"

I would question that. It's a not very good tech demo with horrible controls (Bowling was ok). Wii Sports Resort was the real thing and was great but needed an additional thing because the original Wii-mote was obviously not fit for purpose.

Reply

Bunty Hoven

21/4/2016 09:37:20 pm

I think a big reason for the quantity over quality lauches is the success of the original Playstation. A big part of its success was that it had so many more games than it's rivals.

Reply

penyrolewen

21/4/2016 09:38:49 pm

For me, Nintendo have got a great system - it's just that not everyone gets it. And that's their problem. What do I mean?
This: a previous poster mentioned that perennial Nintendo adjective - 'kiddy'. As most of us oldies know, they do NOT make kiddy games. What they DO do is make games for EVERYONE (yes I AM shouting).

My 6 year old son can play hardly any of my Xbox 360 games (I don't let him play games that are rated more than 7, gasp!). I haven't bothered with a PS4 or Xbone as it would be a very selfish purchase that only I would (could) use as most games are rated more than 7. Those that are rated 7 or less are usually, surprise, quite kiddy.

The WiiU though, has games that challenge us both. He has completed Super Mario 3D Land - by using the racoon suit that the game gives you if you die too many times in a level (it gives you invulnerability, for those that have missed out on this) a LOT of times. He doesn't care - he just says 'Yes, a racoon suit!'. I have completed the game too, without using that suit even when I had the option. We both enjoyed it, were both challenged - and could play at our own level. CLEVER STUFF...

He plays Mario Kart 8 at 50cc, I slither around desperately at 200 but do ok at 150cc. Same game, same tracks, it just works for us both.
Now, most of these younglings (and I mean adults that are younger than me, which is most of those buying consoles. I'm 46) don't get this.

Maybe they never played the Big N games when they were younger and don't get that their aesthetic doesn't make them kids' games. Maybe they don't have kids and so don't care about age ratings. So they bought the most powerful console, with the grown-up games, 'cos they're grown ups now.

Maybe the Wii, with it's all-inclusive but definitely NOT hardcore image has had a backlash.
Maybe the WiiU's frankly appalling launch strategy (even I didn't realise it wasn't a new accessory for a while and I read games sites!) contributed.
Probably it's a bit of all of these things.

My point though, stands. Nintendo, alone amongst game developers, makes games for EVERYONE, if only everyone knew! What a laudable aim, what a great idea and how beautifully they succeed (most of the time).
And I hope that they never have to stop doing that. But I bet that they do.
Bloody grown ups.

I seriously thought there would be about 5 games for each console with the latest generation. I can't remember hearing about anything other than Black Flag and Ryse and having played BF on xbox 360 my ears turned off to whatever the new consoles were peddling.